The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-10-13

so pretty, and presently played grand mu-
sic and sang. ! felt that it was worth all
my WOE !: 4 hundred times again.
''Aii Tie money I had made was spent,
but wanted a piano for her to play when
she sot home. The summers work would
pay r it aud after that ia take no more
boar,trs but give all my time to her
managed it, and here it was in the old
parior open and ready when she walked in
''There were more boarders than ever that
| summer, and my work was harder, but the
music kept me company. She came often
| to help me, but mamma is abler than you,
Baby" I'd say again, land then you would
spoil your pretty dresses" And so learn
ed to hum the tunes she sang for the great
folks in the parlor and kept time with her
in the kitchen.
| ~ paid for the piano. but money kept
| coming in, l couldn't turn the people out
you know. Well, said l, it will make some
body happy one of these days, and
thought what sort of man would ask for
her, and what grand wedding I'd give
them. All the young people loved her,
she was so bright and pretty, but the man
| she would marry must be good and smart,
man that people honored, and who would
love her better for the music and all that
she had learned. And he must have a
home too ! thought, where she can live
like lady. for she has been weakly always,
and never learned to work. And then |
dreamed Of all the happiness that might
come.
Zone day in August father came in and
says he to me, 'mother, says he, Il want
you to tell that young chap Hodges to pack
up his traps and git,'
Claw" says |, s'father, what's he done?"
''That's just it, said he, che haint done
nothing. He says he is a book agent, and
come here to sell books, and he's loafed
around three months, hanging on the cor
ner O the ''pianny" listening to Baby sing,
and Baby says he don't know Aunt Bet
sey' from Moses, or something like that. l
don't like him noway."
"Well, the way father said it sort of scar
ed me, and my heart jumped.
'You don't think nothingI' said l.
'Naw," says he, ''an' don't want to
think nothing. The fellow says himself
he's got no EDICATION, and know he's got
nothing else, and he's lazy good for
nothing and has no business ahanging
round Baby noway."
THAT night | was sitting here alone,
wondering if my little girl would give her
heart, her woman's life away, and not let
her o!d mother know Of what was going
on, | was alone when the door opened and
they came in hand in hand.
NO" For the first time in my life to
her l said No.
when they had gone | thought my heart
would break. 1t seemed as if all my hopes
had come to nothing to know that she
could love such thing as that and wished
to marry him A man without learning
or manners or good looks, who could have
told no difference if Baby had never heard
of music nor seen a book. He wanted her
because she was pretty, she loved him be-
cause woman is such a fool.
Then | thought that maybe had talked
| too hard. Tomorrow | would draw her
near me and if her heart was set, might
| let the engagement stand awhile. A few
more days the boarders would be gone and
| when | could have her with me her mind
would change and she would see the folly.
| The summer had been so busy, poor child,
| | had given her no chance to tell me any
thing. A few more days all would be gone
and the hours that had dreamed of so
| long would come. But when morning
came note lay on my pillow and my lit
| tie girl was gone.
"Well, sir, needn't tel you how | felt.
| The days dragged by but how | do not
| know. 1t was not that | missed her only,
| for had she gone with our godspeed l
would have been content to know that she
was happy, or had we buried her | could
| still have thought of what she was. But
it seemed when had lived my life for her
that she had turned and stabbed me.
'As the days dragged on my heart went
| back to the little ole we had buried in
the snow. She loved me always, and loves
me yet. And so l keep her little chair
here by me and when all alone | see her
there with her ragged doll just as she used
to be. But in the night sometimes l hear
them crying and when l wake and find
both babies gone have to pray the Lord
to give me strength to bear life through
until He comes.''
JOHN W. HAYS, JR.